Method of generating producer-gas.



H. F. SMITH.

METHOD 0F GENERATING PRODUCER GAS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

UNITED HARRY F. SMITH, OF LEXINGTON, OHIO.

METHOD OF GENERATING PRODUCER-GAS.

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Specification oi Letters Patent. Application mea August 25, 19u12.v semi N6. 450,176.

Patented July 2o, 1909.

To all whom. it may concern.'

' Be it known that I, HARRYy F. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, inthe county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Methods of Generating i Produ cer-Gas from Bituminous Coal, ofwhich the following is a spcication. My invention re eratmg producer gas from bituminous coal Y and particularlyr a 'process whereby the tar and volatile matters ordinarily condensable may be converted into fixed gases.

n the accompanying drawing I have shown a view partly in section of an apparatus which ma be used in carrying out my invention, but do not desire to be limited to any specific construction.

A represents the roducer, which is of the genera is ada te to carry a deep bed of fuel. Supportek from the top ofthe producer and in the center of the furnace is a tubular receptacle 1, from which a pipe2 extends through the side of the reducer which carries the gas from the pro( ucer. A coupling- 3 is connected to the pipe V2 and extending downwardly and connecte/d to the coupling is a zig-zag ipe B for scrubbing and cooling the gas. T ie as as it passes from the furnace 1s subjecte to a treatment of water and by the zig-zag formation of the pipe the gas 1s cooled by coming into contact with the water and at the same time the coarse dirt is washed from the gas. A coupling 4 is connected to the pipe B and'from this coupling a drain pipe 5 is connected, through which the dirty water passes to theseweror drain. Pipe C is connected to the coupling 4 and conveys the gas to a tar extractor D, which maybe of any approved form. The tar and the water associated with it are extracted from the gas and the clean gas will pass out from the extractor through the pipe 6. The tar and water will pass out of the extractor D through a pipe E and will be conducted to a separator F. The tar, being heavier than the-water, will go to the bottom of the separator, where it passes throughfa pipe K and from this pipe it empties into a funnel M connected to a pipe O, the pipe O leading into the producer at a sufiicientheiglht above the grate'to discharge the tar into e mass of incandescent cokel that lies within the lower part 'of the producer, and in contact with this tes to a method of gen.` i

t Je of pro( ucerfurnaces, but which hot 'coke the tar is broken up, bein then decomposed into iixed gases and disc arge-d as such. from the top of the reducer. Any portion of the tar which might not be decomposed by this process is separated from the gas again b the tar extractor D and returned to the re in the manner above explained. Theltar is admitted to the furnace throughl the ipe O 'by the operation of a regulating va ve 7 connected to the pipe K. A i e G- is connected to the separator F, whlc conveys the water from the separator to the coupllng 3, to which the pipe is connected, and this water from the separator passes throu h the scrubber B for washing and cooling t -e gas, thereby using the same water twlce, 1n the tar extractor and the scrubber.l The fuel is blasted with air or-air and steam continuously, thus keeping the temperature o f the fuel bed, uniform, giving a continuous and proper operating temperature. y

The gas and water are thrown from side to side by the zig-zag scrubber B and in this Way. thoroughly mixed. The as after being cooled is treated to a second c eaning operation for removing the tar by the extractor D, where any condensable substances, such as tar, oils and the like, which are detrimental to the use of the gas are extracted. From this extractor clean'gas is passedto the lgas tanks or any suitable receptacles for use.

The tar extracted from the gas together with the water which may be associated with it, providing water is used in the tar extractor, will pass through the pipe to a separator where the tar and water are separated, the water passing from the separator to the scrubber and the tar to the furnace. By this system I have provided means whereby the gas can be thoroughly cleaned and the tar and-other condensable substances are conveyed to the furnace after the gas and tar have been separated. In this mannernot only a convenient means is provided for disposing. of the'tar, but also-for increasing the roducer efliciency by converting into gasits thermal energy, and by this method the caloric intensity-is also increased since the gas resulting from the dec'om osition of the tar in .contact with the hot co e consists almost entirely of gas of high caloriic intensity, such as marsh gas 'and oleiiant gas, and these constituents are very desirable in' the.producer gas forY whatever purpose it.

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may be employed. The advantages of this method are immediately apparent for the product in this Way reason. that in most instances the tar is disposed of as a by-product and is never converted into fixed as in the producer. In many instances an under certain conditions the disposition of'aquantity of tar as a byis a diiicult and expensive matter, and even could it be disposed of, it is on account of its high heating value much more valuable as a gas producing agent than as a by-product for other uses, and the y manner of returning the tar to the producer as outlined not only makes a convenient Way to dispose of the tar, but increases the roducer eiciency by converting the tar into gas. Y

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :h

A method for generating producer gas consisting in blasting the fuel With air and steam for obtaining the gas from the fuel, then cooling the gas, then extracting the tar and Water from the gas, then separating the tar and Water, and then discharging the tar into the incandescent fuel in the producer Where it is converted into gas, and the Water from the separator adapted to cool and Wash the gas.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY F. SMITH.

Witnesses:

A. B. BEvERsTocK, R. B. HUNTER. 

